Letters To Harry
by Labony
Summary: When Lily and James Potter realised that their only son was to be attacked and chosen by Voldemort, the young couple set about writing letters to their son to read on important events of his life. Years later, Harry finds letters addressed to him with different events marked on each envelope. Minor swearing.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

Harry Potter was alive and well, living in 12 Grimmauld Place with his own Chosen One, Ginny. Their children had moved out and had their own places, partners and lives to look forward to. The house was quiet and so to busy themselves, the pair had begun to tidy the house from top to bottom. The most difficult of all the rooms to sort out was his godfather's room: Sirius'.

Many a tear flowed not only from Harry but Ginny too. Mainly Harry though. The room was beginning to return to its former glory; the posters were re-applied, the boxes were organised except for one box that didn't match the others. It was a small, brown, wooden box which was held on four lion paws made of a golden metal. Curiosity get the better of Harry when he flicked open the lock to find a small bundle of letters all addressed to him. Most of them had a neat, curvy handwriting except for two which had a scruffier and more jagged script.  
On top of the letters was a small note addressed to Sirius which seemed unreadable. Harry assumed it was code until he deciphered it. It read:

**'Padfoot,**  
**You know better than anyone that Voldemort will come after me and Lily as well as Harry. Here are the letters we mentioned last time for Harry to read on important events in his life. They are being given to you to give to him if we can't be there to say it all ourselves. I know this is hard Padfoot, Lily's gone through so much parchment doing all of this but its worth it. Her mind's at rest a little more. **  
**See you soon. **  
**Prongs'**

Prongs. Harry recognised it instantly. "Dad" he whispered as tears threatened to fall from his emerald eyes. Harry lifted the letters and fanned them across the floor. There was a sequence emerging in them. There was a date order. Like the note mentioned, they referred to important events in his life. The first envelope read 'To Harry on his first day at Hogwarts' in the neat, curvy handwriting he assumed to be that of his mothers.

Harry flipped the envelope and broke the seal that he had come to recognise as the Potter family crest and pulled the parchment out slowly. The tears he had tried so hard to fight back fell as he read the first of many letters.

_'Dear Harry, my bouncing baby boy.'_

It started. Another tear fell.

_'You're not so small now, you're off to Hogwarts. Know that whatever house you get sorted into me and your dad will love you no matter what.'_

"I love you too" Harry found himself whispering to the parchment.

**_'GRYFFINDOR OR DIE!'_**

The writing changed to the scruffy writing he assumed had to be his fathers and laughed through his tears. Typical. Then the writing returned to the same neat, curvy handwriting of Lily Potter.

_'Ignore your dads scrawl. Its what he does.'_

He had noticed.

_'There are some things you need to remember. _  
_- Don't tease Peeves_  
_- No magic at home _  
_But finally:_  
_- Have fun'_

And he had remembered to do just that as he thought back to his time at school but it was the final part that broke him.

_'I'm so sorry we can't be there today for you. I'm sure you're used to it. We just want you to know that we'll be with you, in spirit, every step of the way._

_All my love, your mum_  
_Lily x'_

There was now three wet marks on the parchment. A fresh one made by Harry and two much older ones that belonged to Lily and James Potter.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

Harry sat there on the floor of his godfathers room sobbing at the letter in his hand. It really was his mother and father writing to him, wishing him luck. They couldn't have known what he went through at Hogwarts but he wouldn't have had it any other way.

He carefully tucked the parchment back into the envelope and sealed it the best he could and put it to one side. The envelope beside it had his mothers curved handwriting on the front which said '_To Harry on his OWLs_'. Turning the envelope in his hand he was greeted to the Potter family seal set in red wax. Bracing himself for the tears, he peeled the envelope open and began reading.

_'My brilliant boy'_

Harry smiled at the first three words that Lily had wrote. He couldn't help but wonder if she knew about the ordeals he had gone through by the time his OWLs were done. He carried on reading nonetheless.

_'I have no shadow of a doubt that you haven't passed your exams. Even at a young age you were clever, you took your dad by surprise. I remember your first words: Paddy. We couldn't tell if you were trying to say Daddy or Padfoot. It got very confusing to say the least.'_

A smile spread across Harry's face. Even at a young age he often needed a male figure and now he had to be the male figure for James, Albus, Lily and even Teddy. He looked around the room and spotted a picture of his father, his godfather, Remus and even Peter all smiling in their robes. They must have been fifteen, like the age his mother was writing about. His smiled a little more before returning back to the letter.

_'Anyway, back to your OWLs. If you have an ounce of your father in you I know you'll have got in to some sort of trouble.'_

He thought back, she was right. By then he had defeated Voldemort at least 3 times, discovered his godfather was imprisoned for a crime he hadn't committed and found out the real reason for his parents murder. He had gotten into trouble, lots of it.

_'No matter what you got, whether its an O or a T we love you. I know you'll have worked hard and that's all we can ask for. Well done sweetheart._

_Lots of love,_  
_Mum x'_

Harry finished reading and gently folded the parchment up and placed it back in the envelope. The Potter family crest stared back at him in the red wax it was set in. He imagined his mother setting the seal with tears leaking from her almond shaped, emerald eyes as his matching pair did exactly the same.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

Harry removed his glasses as he wiped his tears away. Curse his father for blessing him with poor eyesight. The third letter went back in the box with the two that he had already opened. Looking back at the wooden floor there was still a variety of letters for him to open, so many letters and so little time for them. He spread them out further and his mouth formed a perfect 'o' as he realised there was more letters than he originally expected.

His emerald eyes shut as he hovered his finger above them and chose a letter at random. It had the same scruffy script that belonged to the original James Potter, his father. The envelope was more discoloured that the previous letters and the ink read **'General advice:** **what to do and what not to do'**. Harry knew deep down he would have learnt most of the things in the letter the hard way but nevertheless he broke the seal and deciphered the writing.

**'Harry,**

**I wish I could tell you these myself and no, its not because I'd want to embarrass you. Although, I'd love to see your face as you read them.'**

Harry chuckled. His father could never embarrass him. Could he? He continued reading.

**'1. NEVER tell a girl that you like her. It just makes you look like an idiot. I learnt the hard way with your mum. But seriously, do something spontaneous instead.'**

He thought back. He never told Ginny he liked her, it sort of happened at the Quidditch final. He smiled to himself.

**'2. NEVER give McGonagall cat toys. Not unless you want to have detention every Saturday for a year.'**

Finally, Harry chuckled. He'd never thought of doing that but was certain that his son had done that at least twice.

**'3. NEVER and I mean NEVER take her to Madam Puddifoots. You'll regret it.'**

Harry shuddered as he remembered the disaster of him and Cho.

**'4. Don't take any shit from any Slytherins or anyone else. They're not worth it.**

**5. Have fun. After all, all men have a life but not all men live.**

**I wish I could be there to see you do these. I'm sorry. I'm not one to do soppy but know this Harry: I love you. Always have and always will.**

**Your dad,**  
**James x'**

Harry knew his dad was smart at somethings and the letter had took him by surprise. Some of the things took him by surprise, as if his father knew what would happen in life. But one thing that stood out to him: All men have a life but not all men live.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

'All men have a life but not all men live'. Harry had been told that his father was smart in some subjects but if truth be told, he wasn't expecting him to be deep. Those words rang through him as he reminisced. He'd certainly lived, and died now he came to it and came back. It had been weird but that was almost 40 years ago. He shuddered at the thought. That still sounded strange, even to him.

He looked at the remaining letters. There was a large amount left but he needed a break, his eyesight had worsened with age but the tears that were ready to fall blurred it even further.  
"Harry?" Said a quiet voice.

Harry looked up and even though his vision was blurred, he knew instantly who it was. "Gin?" He called. His wife sat beside him and draped her arm across his shoulder. As much as he hated crying, he knew that she wouldn't mind. They'd been together for years and been open about everything, so why should he hide it all now.

Harry held her hand in his. Her silver wedding band glinted in the sun light coming from the window as his did the same. Their bands had letters engraved onto them and as they lined up, the word 'Always' could be read. It had been Harry's suggestion and Ginny never questioned it. She looked into his emerald eyes that were shiny with tears. She knew it would be difficult clearing his godfather's room, but she didn't expect him to be this destroyed. "Tell me what's wrong?" She whispered as she rested her head on his shoulder.

He didn't speak, instead he passed her the letters that had been read. She held the parchment delicately in her hands and read through them. "Harry, I'm sorry" she told him as she read. Tears were beginning to fall from her own cheeks as she looked at her husband. With his free hand, he wiped the tear away and kissed her cheek.

"I'm glad I've been living my life with you" Harry whispered. Ginny gave him a soft smile before standing up and allowing her husband to carry on reading.


End file.
